Unstable medications are often stored in powdered form under inert gases, or as a concentrated liquid which may require refrigeration. Before use, the medication must be dissolved, diluted or warmed. The processed medication has only short-term stability, and must be used rapidly. The premixed medications may be sent to a user by priority mail or other rapid shipping service; however, this adds significant cost to the user, and the delay incurred may reduce the effectiveness of the medication. Complicated mixing apparatus and protocols currently in use for mixing and diluting medications in a sterile environment have generated difficulty for patients who self-administer medications while housebound. Other situations which require medications to be mixed or diluted include trauma units, hospitals and doctor's offices where nurses and other medical staff must quickly and accurately mix medications while maintaining sterile conditions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,882,863 for “Apparatus And Method For Mixing And Transferring Medications,” which issued to David R. Pestotnik and Christopher M. Tice on Feb. 8, 2011, apparatus for transferring a chosen quantity of medication from a vial to an intravenous infuser container under sterile conditions is described.